VA - Bruns: Chamber Music for Woodwinds (2017)

Victor Bruns, born 1904 in Ollila in today’s Finland, wrote over 20 solo concertos, 50 chamber pieces and several ballet works. Bruns discovered the bassoon as his true vocation and moved to the Leningrad Conservatory in 1924, until he became bassoonist at Leningrad State Opera in 1927. Bruns completed his studies in composition with Vladimir Shtsherbatshov beside his work in the orchestra and he continued his compositional studies in 1946 with Boris Blacher. He worked as bassoonist of the Staatskapelle Berlin from 1946 until his retirement in 1969 and became a frequently performed composer, popular among musicians and audience alike far beyond the borders of the German Democratic Republic, whose works continue to deserve our attention. In 1960, Victor Bruns was awarded the Art Prize of the German Democratic Republic. In 1971, he was appointed an honorary member of the Berlin State Orchestra, and 20 years later the International Double Reed Society in the USA made him an honorary member.

TRACKLIST

CD1
01. 5 Pieces, Op. 12: No. 1, Andantino - Berthold Grosse
02. 5 Pieces, Op. 12: No. 2, Humoresk - Berthold Grosse
03. 5 Pieces, Op. 12: No. 3, Ruhige Weise - Berthold Grosse
04. 5 Pieces, Op. 12: No. 4, Expromt - Berthold Grosse
05. 5 Pieces, Op. 12: No. 5, Rondo - Berthold Grosse
06. Wind Quintet, Op. 16: I. Moderato - Ulf-Dieter Schaaff
07. Wind Quintet, Op. 16: II. Andante - Ulf-Dieter Schaaff
08. Wind Quintet, Op. 16: III. Scherzo - Ulf-Dieter Schaaff
09. Wind Quintet, Op. 16: IV. Finale - Ulf-Dieter Schaaff
10. 6 Pieces, Op. 80: No. 1, Allegro risoluto - Clemens Königstedt
11. 6 Pieces, Op. 80: No. 2, Andantino - Clemens Königstedt
12. 6 Pieces, Op. 80: No. 3, Andante tranquillo - Clemens Königstedt
13. 6 Pieces, Op. 80: No. 4, Allegretto scherzando - Clemens Königstedt
14. 6 Pieces, Op. 80: No. 5, Allegro animato - Clemens Königstedt
15. 6 Pieces, Op. 80: No. 6, Risoluto-Allegro - Clemens Königstedt
16. Bassoon Sonata No. 1, Op. 20: I. Allegro non troppo - Berthold Grosse
17. Bassoon Sonata No. 1, Op. 20: II. Andante tranquillo - Berthold Grosse
18. Bassoon Sonata No. 1, Op. 20: III. Allegretto grazioso - Berthold Grosse

CD2
01. Little Suite No. 3, Op. 92: I. Moderato - Mathias Baier
02. Little Suite No. 3, Op. 92: II. Andantino con moto - Mathias Baier
03. Little Suite No. 3, Op. 92: III. Allegro animato - Mathias Baier
04. Little Suite No. 3, Op. 92: IV. Andante dramatico-Allegro molto agitato - Mathias Baier
05. Little Suite No. 3, Op. 92: V. Allegro giocoso - Mathias Baier
06. Bassoon Sonata No. 3, Op. 86: I. Allegro sostenuto - Berthold Grosse
07. Bassoon Sonata No. 3, Op. 86: II. Andante tranquillo - Berthold Grosse
08. Bassoon Sonata No. 3, Op. 86: III. Allegro giocoso - Berthold Grosse
09. Woodwind Quartet, Op. 18: I. Allegro giocoso - Ulf-Dieter Schaaff
10. Woodwind Quartet, Op. 18: II. Andantino con moto - Ulf-Dieter Schaaff
11. Woodwind Quartet, Op. 18: III. Scherzo - Ulf-Dieter Schaaff
12. Woodwind Quartet, Op. 18: IV. Finale - Ulf-Dieter Schaaff
13. Bassoon Sonata No. 2, Op. 45: I. Allegro non troppo - Berthold Grosse
14. Bassoon Sonata No. 2, Op. 45: II. Andante tranquillo - Berthold Grosse
15. Bassoon Sonata No. 2, Op. 45: III. Allegro vivo - Berthold Grosse
16. 4 Virtuoso Pieces, Op. 93: No. 1, Andante tranquillo - Sung Kwon You
17. 4 Virtuoso Pieces, Op. 93: No. 2, Allegro scherzando - Sung Kwon You
18. 4 Virtuoso Pieces, Op. 93: No. 3, Andante sostenuto - Sung Kwon You
19. 4 Virtuoso Pieces, Op. 93: No. 4, Allegro giocoso - Sung Kwon You